Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP)

SVP is the amount of time needed to learn the techniques, acquire the information, and develop the facility for average performance in a specific job-worker situation. SVP comes from vocational education, civilian, military, and institutional work experience, apprenticeship, and from in-plant and on-the-job training.

PRACTITIONER'S NOTE:

The Department of Labor has generally refrained from an official definition of SVP ranges (i.e. Skilled vs. Semi-skilled vs Unskilled). SkillTRAN has added one additional range (Highly Skilled) to better reflect its perspective on the various levels of preparation required to successfully perform an occupation. For detailed information about SVP, review Chapter 8 of the 1991 RHAJ.

The new O*NET system of occupational coding uses a schema of "Job Zones" that may ultimately help to clarify this concept once it is validated.